Grounding-preventer for marine vessels.



No. 721,677. PATBNTED MAR. 3, 1903. C. DORNFELD.

GROUNDING PREVENT BR FOR MARINE VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. 1902.

no MODEL.

WITNESSES:

' of a vessel embodying the invention, partly UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES DORNFELD, OF ,NEW YORK, N. Y.

GROUNDING-PREVENTER FOR MARINE VESSELS SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 721,677, dated -March 3, 1903.

Application filed July 1, 1902- 8 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES DORNFELD, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grounding-Preventers for Marine Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to grounding-preventers for marine vessels, and has for its object to provide a device of the class described which will possess points of ad vantage in simplicity, convenience, effectiveness, and general efliciency.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which immediately on the vessel coming in contact with a solid object will automatically reverse the engines and which will then yieldingly resist the vessels farther advance until the efiect of the reversed engines is felt by the vessel.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation broken away. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse vertical section of the device.

Corresponding parts in both figures are denoted by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a, marine vessel of the ordinary type of construction propelled by steam and provided with the usual engines with suitable reversing means. Instead of a propeller, however, I mount one or more worms 2 in suitable bearings at the side of the vessel 1 and longitudinally thereof. In the form illustrated I have shown a pair of worms 2, mounted at each side of the vessel 1 and provided at their adjacent ends with bevel-gears 3, meshing with a like gear carried by a shaft 4, extending transversely of the vessel 1 and suitably connected with the engines. (Not shown.) As the worms 2 will revolve in opposite directions, the pitch of their screws will be opposite.

I provide a well 5, which extends through the lower portion of the false stem or ram 6 and is provided at its inner end with an enlarged chamber Extending across the inner end of the well 5 is the stem 7. Slidably mounted in the well dis a plunger 8,.of suit- .a predetermined distance.

erial No. 113,892. (No model.)

able size. inner end with a base-plate 9,which fits snugly in the chamber 5 and serves as a stop to prevent the plunger 8 from descending beyond Tensional means are interposed between the base-plate 9 and the stem 7, which in the form here shown consist of powerful springs 10, but may be pneumatic or hydraulic. Suitable water-tight packing 11 is provided about the plunger 8. The plunger 8 has in its end a recess 12, from which an aperture 13 extends through the plunger 8 and base-plate 9. vided at its lower end with a head 15, which fits slidingly in the recess 12, extends through the aperture 13 and through an aperture in the stem 7, against the inner surface of which its head 14 rests. Tensional means are provided to normally cause the head 15 to project beyond the recess 12. In the form shown such tensional means consist of a spring 16, surrounding the portion of the rod 14 intermediate the base-plate 9 and the stem 7 and resting at one end against the stem 7 and at the other end against a stop upon the rod 14. Mounted in juxtaposition to the head 14 of the rod 14 is a switch 17 for making and breaking an electric circuit, which includes any suitable electrically-operated device for reversing the engine.

The operation and ad vantages of the invention will be readily understood and appreciated. When the vessel 1 comes in contact with any solid object, the head 15 is forced back into the recess 12, raising the rod 14, the head 14 of which strikes the switch 17 and operates the device which is employed to reverse the engines. The plunger 8 now bears yieldingly against such object, giving the reverse action of the engines time to atfect the vessels motion before the stem strikes such object, and thus prevents injury to the vessel 1 or her grounding. As soon as she is backed off the springs and 16 restore the plunger 8 and head to their normal po- The plunger Sis provided at its A rod 14, prositions ready for like service upon the next occasion.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the details of construction and arrangement as herein described and illustrated, as it is manifest that variations and modifications may be made in the features of construction and arrangement in the adaptation of the device to various conditions of use without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and improvements. therefore reserve the right to all such variations and modifications as properly fall within the scope of my invention and the terms of the following claims. 1

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In combination with a steamship having a chambered projecting ram at its stem below the water-line, a plunger slidably mounted in such ram and projecting beyond same, tensional means behind said plunger to maintain it in its projected position, a second plunger having a head projecting beyond and its stem yieldingly mounted within the first plunger, such stem at its rear end projecting within the chambers of the ram, a switch device operated by said stem, and an electrical circuit controlled by said switch and operating a device whereby the engines of the through same and into the well 5, and having tensional means also within the chamber, and a switch as 17, within the well in electrical connection with a circuit whereby an en ginereversing device maybe operated, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES DORNFELD.

Witnesses:

F. O. MCCLEARY, J. CLARK PYBAS. 

